Steaming
by Rangerbaldwin
Summary: Elliot and Olivia make a deal.


Dedication: To my best friend, Ethel. Because you asked me to.

Time Frame: The week after "Choreographed." Think December 2006.

Summary: Well, that would be telling and you really should just read the thing. Anyway, Stabler visits Benson at home after their discussion of blood types and kidneys. Enjoyable fluff, I hope.

Notes: A short shorty in order to push myself into the L&O: SVU writing world. What a strange and crazy new life I'm entering. I didn't swing this to my betas. Thanks, Bren Ren for giving me the ending!!

Relationship: Elliot/Olivia. Non shippers, LOOK AWAY!

Rating: Young adult, to be on the safe side.

Steaming

By: Lynda Mayfield

Olivia pulled the baking sheet out of the oven and inhaled as deeply as she could. Nothing beat the aroma of freshly baked double chocolate chip cookies. After the week she'd had at work, she figured she deserved them. The package of pre-made, pre-cut dough was purchased two nights ago, and she had been looking forward to this moment, when, leaning against the kitchen counter, she would admire the tray of steaming cookies.

Of course, in her purest moment of enjoyment, there was a knock at the door. She shook her head. There decidedly should NOT be any knocking at the door. She hadn't ordered out so it could only mean one thing. Work.

Not that work was necessarily a bad thing-- the person knocking was probably Elliot and he was a very good thing in her life. One of the best things. He was a good man to have around, not to mention good looking. Olivia made herself change her thoughts as she went to the door. The only way to stay sane around Elliot Stabler was NOT to think about him too much.

She answered the door and her hunch was true. "Hi, come on in."

Elliot followed her in. "Smells good. Cookies?"

"Yeah, I've been looking forward to the night off. What's up?"

"I just came by to talk, it's not work, don't worry." He gave her a cute half grin.

She didn't worry. His tone put her completely at ease. "Want some cookies and milk, then?"

"Yeah, that'd be great." He joined her in the kitchen and popped a cookie into his mouth, straight off the cookie sheet. "It's about that time of year for Kathy to start baking with the kids."

"Christmas?" Olivia took two glasses out of the cupboard and filled them with milk.

Elliot leaned against the counter as he picked up his glass for a drink. "Yeah."

Olivia watched her partner as she munched on a cookie. It was as delicious as she'd imagined.

"Have you been by to see the kids?" Olivia took another bite.

"Yeah, the other day. They're good, doing good." Elliot nodded and with his head still bent down over a cookie looked up at her.

Olivia broke eye contact with him—he was too sexy, she had to look away.

"I meant what I said, about the kidney thing, you know."

"I know you meant it. I did, too."

"Something else. I know some things were said . . . about the way I've been going through partners, and particularly what Warner said. . . you're my best friend, Liv. I don't want any hurt feelings between us."

Olivia straightened her posture. Hurt feelings were the furthest thing from her mind. She didn't answer him, lost in a reverie of other thoughts.

"What?"

She smiled at him and shook her head, "Nothing."

"No, not 'nothing.' Tell me."

Olivia could not bring herself to meet his gaze. They could not go there. She had done that once with a coworker and she would not do it again. No romantic involvement.

"All right, all right, I'll say it. I love you, Olivia."

"Elliot—"

"Be honest here, 'Liv—" he cautioned her.

She looked at the cabinet, anywhere that was away from him. "Okay. You're right, I do love you. But we can't."

"No," he looked at the floor then back up at her, "we definitely can't. It'd ruin the partnership. I don't want that."

"Me, either," she barely managed to say it.

"Then a deal's a deal. I won't pursue you, you won't pursue me and we'll stay partners."

"Okay. I think I can live with that. It will be difficult, but not so much as if we were split up again."

"You have some chocolate on your…there." He pointed just above her chin.

She dabbed at the spot with her fingers. "Got it?"

"No, here," he leaned in and kissed her, taking her into his arms.

She kissed him back, leaning into his embrace. When he let her go she managed to ask, "What was that for?"

"Every deal should be sealed with a kiss, shouldn't it?" He grinned widely at her.

She couldn't help but smile back. "You have a point."

"So, I better go, huh? Thanks for the cookies. And milk."

She followed him to show him out. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded, waggling his eyebrows at her as he headed out the door with a "Bye."

Olivia shut the door and turned to look at her kitchen counter, still amazed and pleasantly shocked by what had happened. "Any time, Elliot, any time."

And she knew for sure she'd always keep ready-to-bake cookies in her fridge.

The End


End file.
